diff --git a/example/handlers/photoHandler.js b/example/handlers/photoHandler.js
index 83a7da02..2fe79261 100644
--- a/example/handlers/photoHandler.js
+++ b/example/handlers/photoHandler.js
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 var jsonApi = require("../..");
 
 module.exports = new jsonApi.MemoryHandler();
+module.exports.delete = null;
diff --git a/lib/handlerEnforcer.js b/lib/handlerEnforcer.js
index d1003349..dfebd2dd 100644
--- a/lib/handlerEnforcer.js
+++ b/lib/handlerEnforcer.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ handlerEnforcer._wrapHandler = function(handlers, operation, outCount) {
   }
 
   var original = handlers[operation];
+  if (!original) return null;
   return function() {
     var argsIn = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);
     var requestParams = argsIn[0].params;
diff --git a/lib/router.js b/lib/router.js
index 48719b4b..6c026b12 100644
--- a/lib/router.js
+++ b/lib/router.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var bodyParser = require("body-parser");
 var cookieParser = require("cookie-parser");
 var jsonApi = require("./jsonApi.js");
 var debug = require("./debugging.js");
+var responseHelper = require("./responseHelper.js");
 var url = require("url");
 
 app.use(function(req, res, next) {
@@ -113,7 +114,14 @@ router.authenticate = function(request, res, callback) {
   router._authFunction(request, function(err) {
     if (!err) return callback();
 
-    res.status(401).end();
+    var errorWrapper = {
+        status: "401",
+        code: "UNAUTHORIZED",
+        title: "Authentication Failed",
+        detail: err || "You are not authorised to access this resource."
+      };
+    var payload = responseHelper.generateError(request, errorWrapper);
+    res.status(401).json(payload);
   });
 };
 
diff --git a/test/authentication.js b/test/authentication.js
index a95f403d..ca405a52 100644
--- a/test/authentication.js
+++ b/test/authentication.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 var request = require("request");
 var assert = require("assert");
 var jsonApiTestServer = require("../example/server.js");
-
+var helpers = require("./helpers.js");
 
 describe("Testing jsonapi-server", function() {
   describe("authentication", function() {
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ describe("Testing jsonapi-server", function() {
           "blockMe": "please"
         }
       };
-      request(data, function(err, res) {
+      request(data, function(err, res, json) {
         assert.equal(err, null);
         assert.equal(res.statusCode, "401", "Expecting 401");
-
+        helpers.validateError(json);
         done();
       });
     });
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ describe("Testing jsonapi-server", function() {
           "cookie": "blockMe=please"
         }
       };
-      request(data, function(err, res) {
+      request(data, function(err, res, json) {
         assert.equal(err, null);
         assert.equal(res.statusCode, "401", "Expecting 401");
-
+        helpers.validateError(json);
         done();
       });
     });
diff --git a/test/unavailableFunctions.js b/test/unavailableFunctions.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..821e81b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unavailableFunctions.js
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+"use strict";
+var request = require("request");
+var assert = require("assert");
+var helpers = require("./helpers.js");
+var jsonApiTestServer = require("../example/server.js");
+
+
+describe("Testing jsonapi-server", function() {
+  describe("unavailable functions", function() {
+    it("responds with a clear error", function(done) {
+      var data = {
+        method: "delete",
+        url: "http://localhost:16006/rest/photos/14"
+      };
+      request(data, function(err, res, json) {
+        assert.equal(err, null);
+        json = helpers.validateError(json);
+        assert.equal(res.statusCode, "403", "Expecting 403");
+        assert.equal(json.errors[0].detail, "The requested resource 'photos' does not support 'delete'");
+
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  before(function() {
+    jsonApiTestServer.start();
+  });
+  after(function() {
+    jsonApiTestServer.close();
+  });
+});